Change by Curse
by Kaitlynn Lane
Summary: A strange event happens that leaves the Palace of the Western Lands in custody of a Fire Nekomata Kagome? What do they do, and how did this happen? Under Editing and Expansion.
1. A Visitor

As this is a FanFiction site, I will only have one disclaimer here so that you can move right on in later chapters.

InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. The only things here that belong to me are my ideas, and my incurable love for Sesshomaru. Please enjoy.

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><p><strong>A Visitor<strong>

Sesshomaru could not hold back the silent sigh as his sensitive ears were assaulted by sound. He had been working on writing letters to some of the minor lords in the Western Lands. His irritation at having his concentration broken released a growl. His palace, which was normally silent, was now awash in commotion. Rin's constant chatter and movement was nothing compared to this level of activity surrounding his abode.

For a moment it made him wonder what type of guest had arrived to warrant such an uproar. Shaking his head free of the thought he turned his head and listened to everything going on. It wasn't difficult for him to pinpoint the center of chaos. There at the front gates was everyone who kept his home running.

Rin, his adopted daughter, a girl of 8 years and an innocent yet spitfire personality. Jaken, an imp yokai who could only be defined as annoyingly loyal, both of which he had in excess. Kouga, a minor wolf prince who'd shown his battle prowess and became his General. Seita, a brown bear yokai who was in charge of all his kitchens, had been since Sesshomaru was but a pup. Maria a small sparrow yokai who was in charge of keeping all of the palace clean and put together. Also there were Jichirou and Seichi, both of whom were guards. They were stationed at his front gate this morning.

Since there was such a large gathering, Sesshomaru's piqued interest was doubled. Though no sign of it would be found on his face, he remained as expressionless as ever. He stood there for a moment to study what was going on. No one had noticed his presence, and they were all gathered around something on the ground. Deciding he needed to figure out the cause of the disturbance he stepped forward and was satisfied when everyone stepped aside to let him see.

The sight taken in by cold gold eyes let lose a plague of questions and chaos in his mind. He battled irritation, confusion, and curiosity all at once for a few split moments before he harshly leashed them away to be dealt with later if they held any real importance. The female on the ground had pale skin and bright red hair. The only physical proof of what she was were the neko ears and three red, gold tipped tails. If it weren't for the haori that was covering her, which smelled of Seichi, she wouldn't be looked upon because it appeared that she was naked underneath.

"Lord Sesshomaru, what do you wish for me to do? With the trespassing nekomata? I mean, you know what she is, and what she is doing but" Jaken's irritating voice rang in Sesshomaru's ears. That voice alone was more abrasive than the entirety of the groups chattering about the strange female. All of which was happening at normal vocal levels. Sesshomaru ignored the imp and continued to study the strange female, not missing a single detail about her.

"Jaken." Sesshomaru stated, knowing he'd be heard without raising his voice. "You will not touch her." His tone brooked no room for argument. Everyone looked at each other before turning their attention back to Sesshomaru. His statement had been a very clear order. They were used to hearing him give orders, but they were surprised that he was so adamant about a female they didn't know.

Sesshomaru tuned everything else out for a moment to focus solely on her. He could just barely sense a familiarity about her but he couldn't place what it was. Her aura was an enigma that he'd never seen before. It was beautiful yet terrifying all at once. Swirling sky blue danced with deep red. The color mixture alone was odd, never would one see those colors in a natural setting. Between the colors the red seemed almost out of place, which just added to the mystery of the aura. To make it even more confusing Sesshomaru watched as the blue and red fought for complete control of the aura.

_'It seems as if there is two people in her body, and both are fighting for control.'_ Sesshomaru mused to himself, and while it wasn't logical he didn't dismiss it completely. Something he'd never seen in all his years wouldn't have a normal reason. Her scent also baffled him.

Feline with a spice that wasn't expected betrayed the identity of the red aura, a fire nekomata. Laced with the same scent was lilacs and roses kissed by the earth and sky, if that was even possible. His eyebrow rose for just a moment as he placed the earthy scent, a human miko.

The complexity of the female before him, and all the questions that she raised tickled his curious nature even further. If he were alone he might have considered the urge to groan. It bothered him, irritated him, that anything could make him so curious. He closed his eyes for a moment as he considered what he'd figured out, though little it was.

_'A fire nekomata and a human miko. They seemingly share a body, and both are fighting for control. Which one does the body belong to?'_ Sesshomaru's thoughts were interrupted and he let out a light growl. The female shifted and made a small whining noise in the back of her throat. She shifted from her side to her back and Sesshomaru's growl stopped short.

Her bright red curls went from covering her face one moment to framing her features the next. Several gasps were heard as every being took note of her features. Only Rin, Jaken and Sesshomaru saw the familiarity of her delicately built face. The only feature that was at odds with the familiar feeling of the face was the copper marking of a ring around a teardrop sitting proudly on her forehead. Her pointed ears didn't feel as at odds as the marking. Rin shakily reached over and grabbed his hand before looking up at him.

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>Welcome to Change by Curse. This chapter is edited and expanded. The following chapters will be updated shortly. Once all eleven chapters that are already up are updated I will be continuing this story. However, the updates will be sporadic as I do have a life besides writing, no matter how much I wish my life revolved only around writing. Please review!


	2. Unexpected Guest

**Unexpected Guest**

"Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked quietly. Her voice barely above a whisper, there was an unspoken question. And Sesshomaru heard both the spoken one, and the unspoken one.  
>"Yes Rin. She is." Sesshomaru answered both questions. His voice quiet and serious, now that he knew the identity of the neko. He watched her as she moved some more. Her tails disappeared beneath the coat, and she was still for a moment. It took Rin only a moment to see what was going on.<br>"Sesshomaru-sama, she's covered herself with her tails." Rin said quietly again. All Sesshomaru did was nod silently as he stepped towards the neko and picked her up.  
>"Maria, what guest room is available?" Sesshomaru asked his head maid. Maria was just as stunned as the rest of the group as they watched Sesshomaru pick the neko up. It took Maria a couple moments to snap out of her awed stupor to answer his question.<br>"All are available, but non are ready for guests. We weren't expecting guests for a few months, so they are all closed up and dirty." Maria reported, unafraid of telling him the truth, even if it wasn't what he wanted to hear.  
>"Sounds like she'll be staying with someone." Kouga snickered. He knew without a doubt that the only way a nekomata, of any kind, would stay with him, would be on penalty of death. Even then he wasn't certain if he'd choose the neko over death. He saw that she looked familiar, but he was certain that the one the neko resembled wasn't a neko.<br>Sesshomaru grimaced to himself, though his mask of no emotion never changed. He wasn't going to force his unexpected guest on Rin, or his servants. If he wasn't willing to take on the burden, he had no right asking someone else to do it. He was carefull to keep his mask on, so as not to let anyone see what he was really thinking and feeling.  
>As he walked into his palace he realized that the entire crowd was following him. He wouldn't have minded as much if it had been only one or two people. Yet he was being trailed by seven people. A snarl, only loud enough to be heard by the one in his arms and those with yokai hearing, rumbled in the depths of his throat. His trail of people immediately reduced to just Jaken, Kouga, and Rin. Everyone else went back to their respective duties.<br>His relief washed over him, though it didn't. The three who continued to follow Sesshomaru soon found themselves in Sesshomaru's private chambers. As he set the female down on his spacious futon, Rin climbed onto the futon as well to sit next to her. Rin's tiny hands were soon resting on the yokai's forehead. She looked up at Sesshomaru with panicked eyes.  
>"Sesshomaru-sama! I haven't felt anyone's temperature as high as this. Not even you!" Rin's voice wasn't a whisper any more. She was panicked and she didn't hide it. Sesshomaru didn't flinch at the news. Afterall, he had noticed it as he had carried the nekomata.<br>"Rin, you want to help her?" Kouga asked Rin incredulously. Rin nodded and watched the neko quietly. Her face was a mask of worry, as the neko started to shift and show signs of waking up. The neko's face was an expression of anger and confusion.  
>As the neko's eyes fluttered open, the groupd saw gold eyes that matched the tips of her tails. They were wide, and showed her surprise and relief. As her face cleared of anger and confusion, the neko stretched.<br>"Since you're awake, why don't you explain why you're trespassing on Inu territory, Neko?" Jaken's voice made the neko visibly tense. And when Jaken sneered the word 'neko', Sesshomaru noticed an extra detail the others didn't see. Her aura turned from swirled red to blazing red.  
>"Jaken, I've been able to deal with you calling me a disgusting human wench for the past several years. However, if you ever insult me again as either a human or a neko, I'll purify your little, old, wrinkly butt, or use it as a scratching post." The neko snarled, showing fangs and other sharp teeth. Jaken gaped, he couldn't believe he'd just been spoken to like that, and of all species, a neko.<br>"Kagome-sama, what happened to turn you into this?" Rin asked the neko, her cool, small hands still on the yokai's forehead. Now it was Kouga's turn to gape. The nekomata was Kagome? But he was certain that Kagome was a human miko, and only a human miko. Kagome laughed, but it sounded hollow and devoid of any real mirth. She looked down at Rin, her eyes just as hollow as her laugh.  
>"What happened? It's name is: Inuyasha, Kikyo, and Tsubaki."<p>

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Well this chapter was fun! I hope you all like it. ^_^


	3. Garden Visit

**Garden Visit**

At this bit of news, Sesshomaru's eyebrow quirked up. Sesshomaru knew about what had happened after Naraku had been defeated. He was certain the stray miko by name of Kikyo had been killed by Naraku. And that his half-brother, Inuyasha, was living happily with the miko by name of Kagome.  
>And Tsubaki, that was a name he hadn't heard in awhile. He didn't know the details, but he did know that supposedly Tsubaki had been defeated by Kagome awhile ago. What had happened to bring Tsubaki back, and just what happened with Inuyasha and Kikyo to have Kagome so angry and distant?<br>"Kagome-sama? Did they turn you into this?" Rin asked Kagome as she sat next to Rin. Kagome's smile down at Rin had some genuine emotion in it this time. Though the unidentified emotion didn't reach her eyes.  
>"Sort of, Rin. Tsubaki is the one who changed me, but it's a long story. So unless you have time for a long story, don't worry about it." Kagome's voice wasn't as hollow as it had sounded when she had said that the three were what happened. However, everyone but Rin heard the anger and veiled want for revenge.<br>"Jaken." Sesshomaru turned to his vassal.  
>"Yes, mi lord?" Jaken asked as he turned his smoldering eyes from Kagome to his master.<br>"Go tell Maria to get a guest room ready in the West wing for the…" Sesshomaru stopped his sentence and seemed to search for the right word. He would have called her a miko, but that didn't fit now. Kagome's eyebrows rose as she held back a smile. She knew what Sesshomaru was debating.  
>"For 'the' Kagome?" Kagome asked with laughter in both her eyes and voice. Sesshomaru studied Kagome with cold, guarded eyes.<br>"For the guest, and tell her to bring a clean kimono here. Then go to Seita and tell him to start preparations for the midday meal for Rin, this Sesshomaru, and the guest." Sesshomaru finished, not giving Kagome the advantage by calling her by name. Jaken quickly scurried off to carry out the task.  
>As Kagome laughed, Rin had the manga question mark face since she didn't understand why Kagome was laughing. Rin watched Kagome's face carefully. She had always liked Kagome. When Rin had been staying with Lady Kaede, most of her free time was spent outdoors with Kagome, Kaede, and Shippo. Kagome had always taken good care of her, like a mother almost. Sesshomaru watched Kagome for a moment before he spoke again.<br>"During the meal, I would appreciate you telling us how you came to be a fire nekomata, and how you came to be in front of our palace, disrupting our staff." Kagome grimaced as she listened to Sesshomaru talk. She'd rather be called a disgusting human wench by Jaken, then to have Sesshomaru talking to her with his formal third-person speech. It was cute when Rin would sometimes lapse into it, but it was annoying when Sesshomaru did it to remain distant and above it all. After an unnerving moment of silence, Kagome responded to his 'request'.  
>"Very well. But if anyone mocks me during or after I tell you what happened, their blood is on your hands." Kagome said with a slight huff. She wasn't going to put up with being made fun of because of what happened when she was being told to tell what happened.<br>Kouga was about to make a witty remark when a servant girl knocked on the door then entered the room. Kagome studied the girl for a moment. She was Inu, so Kagome knew that she was probably older than she looked. The girl had golden eyes that sparkled with curiosity and energy, her silver hair reached to just below her waist. On her face she had aqua markings, and on her forehead she had a small yellow crescent moon.  
>"I've brought her kimono, Sesshomaru-sama." Her voice carried the same energy that made her eyes sparkle. She stepped forward when Sesshomaru motioned for her to come in. In her arms she carried a pile of black and silver fabric. Kagome looked at the cloth gratefully. She still had the coat wrapped around her, but she would prefer actual clothing.<br>As Kagome stood to approach her, the girl set the fabric on the bed then ushered Kouga and Sesshomaru out of the room. Once it was just the three girls in the room, she turned to Kagome and Rin.  
>"It's nice to meet you. My name is Sakura." Sakura introduced herself to Kagome before she started to help Kagome dress. They were all stumped though when it came to Kagome's tails. It didn't look right, the shape they made under the kimono. Then Rin recalled something that solved the problem. Kagome could control the shape and size of the tails, so she could make them disappear for a time if she liked.<br>However, she didn't like how off balance she felt, so she made one disappear and wrapped the other two around her middle like a belt. They were small enough they were barely seen, they looked like a rope around her. After that was straightened out, Sakura helped Kagome finish getting dressed. When Sakura went to put Kagome's hair up, Kagome stopped her, saying that she preferred her hair down.  
>Thinking they were done, Sakura was about to let Kouga and Sesshomaru back into the room. However, Rin had a different plan. She grabbed Kagome's hand and slammed through the large doors. In the process she startled Sesshomaru, Kouga, and Jaken who were waiting in the hallway.<br>Rin dragged Kagome past the startled men, and through the halls. Kagome tried to keep track of where they went, but she couldn't. She felt like they were running in circles until Rin came to a sudden stop at a door. Rin slowly and carefully opened the door before she grabbed Kagome's hand once more. This time, to Kagome's relief, they walked out the door and into the bright sunlight. Kagome took a couple moments to adjust to the bright light. When she blinked and was accustomed to the light she couldn't help but smile.  
>They were in a well taken care of garden. There were all sorts of flowers, ranging from the lilacs to roses to lilies. The air was cool and sweet, carrying with it the smell of earth and the flowers. Kagome could feel herself relaxing; the garden might have as well come from a storybook.<br>Rin led Kagome over to a large, flowering, weeping willow. As Rin headed off to pick some flowers, Kagome sat on the ground by the trunk of the willow. She relaxed, but she watched as Rin went around happily and picked flowers. Though Rin was happy and energetic as usual, something about her made Kagome think she had some mission of purpose. After a bit, Rin came back with her arms full of flowers. The majority of them were red, white, and gold. Rin held up one particular gold flower that Kagome couldn't identify, but it was beautiful.  
>Rin carefully placed the flower behind Kagome's ear and smiled when she pulled back and looked at her handiwork. Among Rin's arsenal of flowers, Kagome spotted a dark red rose. Using her claws, Kagome cut the thorns off the stem and placed the rose in Rin's hair behind her ear.<br>"Now we match." Kagome said softly as she pulled Rin into her lap. Rin giggled and looked up at Kagome, her eyes showing her worry and concern.  
>"Kagome-sama?" Rin asked gently, almost too afraid to ask the question.<br>"What is it Rin?" Kagome looked down at the girl in her lap and smiled warmly. Even though Kagome had just turned 20, she felt like a mother to both Rin and Shippo. She would protect them, and love them as such.  
>"What happened? Rin knows you're strong, so how this happen? And why were you so sad when we found you?" Rin asked Kagome, even though it took her a lot to gather the courage to ask the question. Kagome studied the flowers above them for a moment before she turned her attention back to Rin.<br>"Well, you'll hear the detailed, longer version at lunch. But I'll tell you now, the basics of what happened. After we defeated Naraku, Inuyasha promised to be with me. I thought my love was finally being returned, yet there was something I didn't know. Inuyasha thought Kikyo was dead for good. That's why he picked me. So when Kikyo showed up three weeks ago, Inuyasha started his jumping again.  
>"Well, Kikyo didn't like that he still came back to me after he met up with her. So she looked for a dark miko she could team up with. She found Tsubaki. Together they placed a curse on me and an enchantment on Inuyasha."<br>"But you're too strong to be cursed." Rin interrupted, and Kagome just laughed quietly.  
>"Yes, if they hadn't done what they did. They enchanted Inuyasha first. So he fell completely in love with Kikyo, and turned his feelings for me into loathing. So he rudely told me to leave so that he'd be free from the burden of having to return to me. Because I am … was … in love with him, I broke down. I became weak. That's when they cursed me. When I became a fire nekomata, I was overwhelmed by the anger and betrayal. I went into blood lust. There was a part of me that knew, though, that I had to get away.<br>"Next thing I know I'm waking up on a futon with everyone by my side." Kagome finished the very rough, detail empty story. Even the rough cut had taken some time for her to finish. Kagome looked down at Rin and couldn't help but laugh quietly. Rin wasn't quite asleep yet, but she was headed in that direction.  
>"Rin's happy you're here, but Rin's sad you got hurt." Rin said sleepily as she let sleep take her, and went completely limp in Kagome's lap. Kagome didn't want to disturb Rin, so she leaned her head back against the tree and studied the sky through the branches. Even after all the excitement, Kagome didn't need a nap, so she hummed her favorite song. One that Kagome grew up to, she even sang it to Shippo every night they were together. A breeze blew through the trees, and through the parted branches Kagome caught a glimpse of Sesshomaru.<br>He was watching them, yet his face revealed nothing in terms of what he was thinking and feeling. Kagome wondered just how much he had heard. She didn't care if he heard it all or none of it, but his expressionlessness was driving her nuts. She was used to the only people with such a lack of expression were her teachers when she was in high school.  
>As the breeze died, the branches went back to where they were. Kagome couldn't see Sesshomaru anymore, she didn't hear him move. So she figured that he moved and was silent, or he was still there.<p>

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Hello. I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated. *Shrugs* Oh well, here is a longer chapter for you to enjoy as I head off to type up the next chapter that I have already written. Enjoy. ^_^


	4. Peaceful?

**Peaceful?**

He followed them, but he wasn't in a rush. After all, if Rin was taking Kagome somewhere, he had nothing to worry about. Rin knew her way around the palace and never got lost, anymore. Yet he followed their scents down the halls. After a few moments, Sesshomaru realized where they were going. Rin was taking Kagome to his private garden. It had been his mother's special garden.  
>In that garden, there was a special magic. Whenever he went into the garden, no matter how tense or frustrated he was, he could calm down. So he wasn't surprised that Rin would take her to the garden. It was apparent Kagome had gone through a lot, even to innocent and naive Rin.<br>When he reached the garden, he couldn't see the two of them, but Rin's scent was all over the place, and it was a fresh scent. So he knew they were there somewhere. He sent his power out as a breeze through the garden. As the branches of the weeping willow moved, he heard the soft notes of a song being hummed.  
>As he watched the two females he was surprised at how well they matched each other. Sitting against the tree was Kagome, dressed in a black kimono with silver embroidery in the shape of a cherry blossom covered branch, her obi a bright gold with a red cord. Her red hair was loose and swirled gently around her on the breeze.<br>Rin was on her lap in a simple golden child's kimono. Her black hair was also loose, but it blended into Kagome's kimono. The child was asleep, and was being cradled by the older female in the same way a child would be cradled by their mother.  
>They were safe, and Sesshomaru was satisfied he wouldn't have to worry about them getting in trouble. Now that he wasn't focused on finding Rin and his guest, he was aware of another presence and power that might be a match to himself. Sesshomaru stopped the breeze created by his power and silently observed and studied the power.<br>A moment later, it was obvious whose power it was. It was a conflicting power, and of two distinct energies. One miko, the other yokai. Kagome's beast had accepted and took Rin as her own child. And now that Rin was asleep in her lap, her power was unhidden so as to give a warning of sorts. Kagome wasn't going to let any sort of harm befall Rin.  
>If Sesshomaru hadn't been a yokai of strong power himself, he might have been worried and somewhat cautious of whomever the power belonged to. Rather, the only thing Sesshomaru felt was slight amazement. The miko part of the power and aura was strong. It wasn't diminished in the slightest by the yokai power. If anything both reacted to the other and increased in strength.<br>As Sesshomaru left, he made no effort to hide that he left, yet he didn't announce it either. As he exited the garden, he nearly got ran over by Jaken and Kouga. Neither of the two had noticed that he was approaching, but thankfully Sesshomaru knew they were coming and avoided the collision.  
>Kouga and Jaken, however, quickly collided with the door leading to the garden. Though Kouga recovered quickly, Jaken was seeing stars for a while.<br>"This Sesshomaru recommends that if either of you do visit the garden, that you don't have loud voices. Don't bother Rin and her guest." Sesshomaru told both of them as he left them standing there staring after him. He had work to do, and since Rin wouldn't be bored and wanting to do something with him, he figured it was the perfect time to do it.  
>Kouga and Jaken just stood there for a moment looking at each other before they opened the door to the garden. They both immediately felt the powerful aura and power, but only Kouga recognized what it was and from whom. Jaken, on the other hand, after always being around Sesshomaru, just thought it was his then ignored it.<br>So as expected, Jaken ran into the garden full blast, being extremely loud and obnoxious. He looked around, his tiny head snapping from side to side, and his giant yellow eyes scanning the garden with amazing intent and precision.  
>After just a couple minutes of intent searching, and babbling, Jaken spotted Rin's golden kimono among the branches of the willow. He rushed forward, spewing nonsense about how the 'neko' had no right to spirit away his 'Lord Seshomaru's' charge.<br>Kagome watched as Jaken pulled open the willow branches and approached them so fast he looked like he was teleporting. Then his nonsense, and chatter reached her ears, and her neutral expression changed to a hostile expression.  
>Jaken just stepped on a land mine that would blow him away.<p>

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Well, guess what I found out? I'm grounded from my computer for a week! I can type up these chapters at school though, so this is ready to be posted the day I'm ungrounded. Enjoy. ^_^ Two days later: I just realized that you'll be getting that message **after** I'm ungrounded... I'm crazy.


	5. A Lesson

**A Lesson**

"You stupid Neko!" You have no right to spirit Rin away! When I'm done with you, you'll be nothing but a roasted nekomata!" Jaken shouted. In his tiny left hand he carried the Staff of Two Heads. With that he ran up and grabbed Rin's hand and pulled her out of Kagome's lap, waking her in the process.  
>Kouga stepped under the protection of the branches and silently watched what was happening. As Jaken yanked Rin awake and out of Kagome's lap, something snapped. It was her control. Kouga could hear a growl coming from deep in her throat.<br>"Jaken, I warned you about calling me a 'neko' like that. However, that's not why I am upset. You disturbed Rin as she was asleep. That's why I am angry." Kagome stood slowly and in measured motion. She moved towards Jaken in a regal, displeased manor. Her demeanor fit for an insulted Lady of the House, Kouga mused.  
>Kagome's aura flared in anger, and her power started to manifest in the form of gold flames with red at the tips. It took less than a moment, and a fire nekomata the size of Ah-Un was standing over a now slightly nervous Jaken.<br>Jaken pulled Rin to stand behind him as he made the staff spit fire towards Kagome. The red flames of the staff engulfed her, and Jaken thought for a moment that he'd won. Rin stood there rubbing sleep out of her eyes. She was confused, and was wondering what was going on. Then she saw what was happening and screamed.  
>"Jaken-sama! Stop! That's Kagome-sama!" Rin yanked on Jaken's haori and the imp stumbled backwards. The flame from the staff stopped, and Kagome continued to stalk towards him. Her flames changed to create what looked like a second coat of fur made of flame. Her advancement continued until she was about three feet in front of him. She growled low in her chest, baring her fangs, and glaring.<br>But she wasn't looking at Jaken. Jaken turned around and fell over as he looked up. It was Sesshomaru, and he looked none too pleased. He took in the entire scene with cold gold eyes, and the key to the entire situation was Rin. Sesshomaru saw her hand on Jaken's haori, and rubbing sleep out of her eyes with the other hand.  
>"Jaken, I warned you about disturbing Rin or her guest. And you've bothered both. I will not stop Rin's guest from teaching you a lesson." Sesshomaru walked away with Rin right on his heels. Her arms were held out in typical Rin style as she chattered about all the little things she saw and pointed them out. Sesshomaru answered in one or two word answers here and there.<br>Kagome and Kouga chuckled. Jaken gulped, he knew he was in trouble with Kagome, and could do nothing to stop her. It was also obvious that his only means of defense, the staff, was utterly useless against the neko.  
>"Have fun. I'll be inside distracting Rin so that Sesshomaru can finish his work." As Kouga said that, he turned and left. Kagome watched him silently as he left. After he left her attention snapped back to the now very nervous imp.<br>"Now Jaken, care to explain why you felt it was necessary to yank Rin out of my lap when she was sleeping?" Kagome's voice dripped with venom, she wasn't thrilled. As Kagome started her approach once more, Jaken stumbled backwards a couple steps before he turned and full out fled from Kagome.  
>It wasn't more than a millisecond before she was moving and Jaken found himself dangling by his haori. Kagome laughed as she chewed on the haori. She walked over to the pond in the center of the garden and stepped in. The koi skittered away from her paws, and Jaken's eyes nearly popped out of his head.<br>"W-what ar-are you doing?" Jaken stuttered the question.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Well, another chapter done, and Kagome's torturing Jaken. Sounds like a good day to me. ^_^


	6. Kitten in Chaos

**Kitten in Chaos**

"Just teaching you a small lesson. Neko's don't hate water, we just avoid it. Also, I'm curious if a certain myth is true. Can Imp yokai survive underwater just as well as they can on land?" Kagome chortled as she stepped deeper into the pond. She ignored the shudders she felt through Jaken's haori.  
>"No! No! We Can't! You stupid, stupid girl! If I could live underwater I wouldn't be here." Jaken exclaimed, sparing little attention to what he said and who might be around. Kagome growled when Jaken called her stupid. He just wouldn't learn his lesson!<br>"Very well, since you insist on calling me derogatory names, I will continue the lesson." Kagome said with ice, and steel in her voice. She wasn't the same Kagome that Jaken once knew. This was a different person. She wasn't as sweet and forgiving, she'd teach the lesson with malice if that's what it took for him to learn it.  
>Kagome took another step forward, getting a little deeper in the pond. The water now reached Kagome's chest, and started to grab at Jaken's ankles. Jaken stuttered, unable to make any actual words, as he stared at the water. A chuckle rumbled from Kagome at Jaken's reaction. She started to move further into the water, when she felt Jaken's body shudder.<br>"That's enough." A voice rang out, clear, strong, and unquestionable. It was Sesshomaru, and he watched as Kagome turned to face him. Her eyes were filled with many emotions. One was an emotion Sesshomaru was unable to identify, a loss of identity. The others were anger, sorrow, and extreme pain.  
>Kagome tossed Jaken to the side of the pond, where he fell limp. He had fainted mere moments before Sesshomaru had commanded her to stop. The two stared at each other for a couple moments, expecting the other to make the first move.<br>Kagome's patience lost, and her emotions took over. She was still not completely healed from the emotional wounds, and that was reflected in the tears that now fell from her eyes. Kagome stayed in neko form, but she shrunk to kitten size when she reached the bank of the pond.  
>Sesshomaru sighed, and then picked Kagome up and carried her with him. He ignored his unconscious servant, Jaken would be awake soon enough and bothering him as usual. Neither Kagome or Sesshomaru spoke as he placed Kagome on his shoulder between his neck and his moko-moko. Kagome curled into the moko-moko and continued to cry. She kept asking herself questions that she wanted the answer to but didn't have.<br>'Why did I stay? Inuyasha still didn't pick me over Kikyo, so what was the reason for my staying?' Kagome cried until the emotional exhaustion overwhelmed her and she slept. Her paws had hooked the moko-moko with her claws to prevent her from falling as she slept.  
>Sesshomaru really had no clue what to do with her. He felt he couldn't turn her away when the faint smell of Inuyasha's blood on her yelled to all that she was no longer allies with his half-brother. Even though it was hanyo blood, a low standing yokai might take her as a threat. He had also told her that she'd tell him what happened at the mid-day meal. Which did imply that she'd be staying, even if just to the meal.<br>When he looked at the now sleeping neko on his shoulder he faced the same dilemma and uncertainty he had faced when deciding on whether or not Rin would stay with him. Sesshomaru shook his head and decided he'd make his final decision after he'd heard her story.  
>He was slightly curious as to how she'd been turned into a nekomata, and how she'd come to be at his palace gates. He was quickly yanked from his thoughts at the sound and scent of a certain hanyo he had never wanted to see again. Especially since said hanyo was the reason for his missing arm.<br>As Sesshomaru approached his once more chaotic front gates, another scent hit Sesshomaru's nose like he'd walked into a brick wall. He had no idea why he hadn't noticed it before, it was so overwhelming. Decay, death, and dirt, it could only be one other person. Kikyo.  
>Sesshomaru walked out to the gates with his normal indifferent, if slightly irritated, facial expression. He took in the scene, and had a vague sense of dejavu. If he hadn't smelt the offensive intruders, he would have expected to see Kagome there on the ground, and the neko on his shoulder to be gone.<br>As he walked towards the movement, he saw what was happening. Kikyo and Inuyasha were fighting his guards. They were shouting something, but their words were scrambled enough for Sesshomaru not to understand what they were blathering about.  
>"Halt this nonsense." His voice seemed to bounce off the stone walls surrounding them, and off the trees in the forest just beyond the gates. The effect was enough to cause the four struggling people to stop their movement and turn their attention to him.<br>Sesshomaru held back a smirk as he watched something happen that amused him. Kikyo's lips pulled back in a snarl that was more fit for a yokai than a supposed miko. In reaction to Kikyo's snarl, Inuyasha looked at her in surprise.  
>Kikyo wasn't paying attention to Inuyasha though. Her eyes were on Sesshomaru's shoulder, where a kitten sized fire nekomata rested, her focus on Kagome with deadly intent. Inuyasha's face was one of jealousy, because he thought Kikyo was looking at Sesshomaru. Whereas Sesshomaru's face was one of an irritated person. His land had been trespassed upon twice in one day, and it was wearing at his patience.<br>"You two are trespassing and will leave immediately if you don't wish to face this Sesshomaru in battle" Sesshomaru stated, ignoring Kikyo's intent that was focused on the neko on his shoulder. He felt it necessary to prove the point, so Sesshomaru bared his fangs slightly.  
>"We're only here to pick up a little kitten that escaped it's cage." Kikyo's voice lashed through the air as if trying to cut all life out of the air itself.<p>

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Another chapter done and completed. I'm liking where this is going and how it's developing. I'm not a Kikyo hater, but I do think that she was weak for allowing herself to be tricked. Making her out to be the bad guy was only to fit the story line. However, don't get me started with Inuyasha's unfailing ability at being unable to choose Kikyo or Kagome... I'm afraid of saying anything else and spoiling what's coming up. Enjoy, and look forward to the next chapter. ^_^


	7. Confrontation

**Confrontation**

"There is no kitten here that has escaped its cage. This Sesshomaru believes you should look elsewhere." Sesshomaru was about to walk away when he heard a hissing noise behind him. He looked over his shoulder with a slight glare. Kikyo was still snarling, but Sesshomaru was unable to determine if it was Kikyo or Inuyasha who had hissed.  
>When Sesshomaru saw where everyone's attention was, he knew who it was that had hissed. Kagome was now on the ground facing Kikyo and Inuyasha. Her eyes were tinted red, and she was full out snarling and hissing. It was obvious that her beast had started trying to take control. Sesshomaru watched silently, but he was slightly worried, after all, Kagome wouldn't know how to control her beast at all.<br>Kagome half circled the group at the gates. Her eyes were watching Kikyo and Inuyasha. She didn't like them being here. Here she felt safe, here she felt like she could belong, here there were people who accepted her. She knew that if she went back that she'd have Sango, Miroku, and Shippo, but she didn't want to be with Inuyasha again.  
>He'd betrayed her, and hurt her enough to have her deepest longing be to avoid him for life. As for Kikyo, she had never really, truly hated the woman, until she'd tried to kill her. Anyone would dislike someone who tried to kill them. Kagome loathed Kikyo even more now, since she was the reason she was trapped in a body with another her.<br>The thought was confusing, another Kagome sharing her body. But Kagome knew that thanks to the 'curse' the yokai side of her was as real a Kagome as the human miko side. That was the only reason she hadn't gone out of control. Even at the moment of the change, Kagome had accepted the fact that they were now one person.  
>The yokai side of her was thankful that Kikyo had brought her into existence, yet loathed the woman for trying to kill her. The miko side had had enough of Inuyasha's inability to decide, and was tired of being hunted by Kikyo and yokai alike.<br>Kagome let her beast take control completely. She was tired of fighting it, and since the subject of both their wrath being in front of them, she couldn't control it if she had wanted to. She retreated into the back of her mind, and just watched what was going on from a distance.  
>Sesshomaru could tell the moment Kagome gave complete control to her beast. Her eyes became completely red, and she changed size. Kagome was once again, the size of Ah-Un, and had her flames wrapped around her like a second coat of fur. She wasn't snarling or hissing, but she was watching the hanyo and miko as a wild feline would watch its prey.<br>"You haven't bothered me enough? You haven't tortured me enough?" Kagome rasped out in barely intelligible Japanese through her fangs. She wasn't feeling sad like she had been. She wasn't feeling like she wasn't worth anything. No, now she was angry, and betrayed. Inuyasha had decided Kikyo, fine. That was enough, he didn't have to chase after her like this while staying at Kikyo's side.  
>"I've come to retrieve the rest of my soul. Now that I finally am able to be by the one I love, even though the Shikon no Tama no longer exists, I won't live with my soul divided. I came to claim what is rightfully mine." Kikyo replied, not showing the slightest remorse for her attempts on Kagome's life, or changing Kagome into a nekomatahuman miko mix.  
>"You aren't touching my soul." Kagome said, before she gave into instinct and launched herself at Kikyo. Her rage finally took full control of her beast. Her flames intensified in strength and heat. The two guards quickly retreated to stand beside Sesshomaru as Kagome approached them. The heat of the flames was enough to set the guards on edge.<br>Kikyo didn't move, she'd felt the heat of the flames of hades, she could ignore the heat of Kagome's flames. They'd be as miniscule as a breeze against her cheek, or so Kikyo thought. Inuyasha didn't move because Kikyo didn't move. He hadn't spoken or acted, because that wasn't what Kikyo had wished.  
>Inuyasha was completely under Kikyo's control, even as something in him screamed to remember something important. A female that he thought of as a sister, yet at the same time, something more. 'Why am I unable to think about anything but Kikyo?'<br>Sesshomaru was more than a little irritated at what was happening. It was obvious that the hanyo was under the miko's control, and the said miko was attacking someone who was under his momentary protection.  
>"This Sesshomaru does not repeat himself, Miko." Sesshomaru stepped forward and effectively stopped Kagome's attack. He was surprised at the heat and intensity of her flames, but did not voice it or let it show on his face.<br>When Sesshomaru said 'Miko', it wasn't directed at Kagome. It was directed at Kikyo, and he didn't disguise the disgust in his voice as he directed his speech to her.  
>"And I will not wait to have my soul whole once more." This this said, Kikyo and Inuyasha started an attack. Inuyasha drew Tessaiga, and was ready to attack Sesshomaru, Kikyo had her bow with an arrow knocked and aimed at Kagome.<p>

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Well, looks like Sesshomaru has to clear the land of a few annoying insects before he can hear what happened to Kagome.


	8. Magenta

**Magenta**

When the guards noticed the two intruders preparing to attack their Lord and his guest they were instantly by Sesshomaru's side to give their assistance. Sakura, who had decided to check on the commotion outside, ran to get Kouga and more guards to help.

Kagome moved quietly and approached Sesshomaru. She wasn't happy that he'd stopped her from attacking when it was obvious Kikyo and Inuyasha wouldn't leave without a fight. However, she had gotten control of her beast, and her eyes were no longer red. She waited to see what would happen. Kagome noticed that Kikyo had kept the knocked arrow aimed at her even as she moved.  
>Inuyasha was still focused on Sesshomaru. Kikyo attacked first, she shot the arrow at Kagome. Before anyone could blink, Sesshomaru had grabbed the arrow between his two fingers and disintegrated the arrow the same way he had with Kagome's arrow in the past. The purifying reiki behind the arrow didn't even cause him to flinch.<br>He was unaffected by the reiki. He continued to stare Kikyo down. Kikyo didn't blink in surprise or shock, instead she effortlessly knocked a second arrow on her bow.  
>"I won't repeat myself. Give me back my soul." Kikyo demanded, not even realizing that she had just repeated herself while claiming she wouldn't. Kagome just snarled, and a single tendril of flame reached forward towards Kikyo. Kikyo fired her arrow, but the moment the fire made contact, the arrow seemed to explode.<br>"Fight me one-on-one. You'll finally leave this world for good." Kagome growled out as she launched herself at Kikyo. She tried to fire another arrow at Kagome, but it just grazed her cheek. When Kikyo realized that her arrows wouldn't do much damage she stopped using arrows and used her bow.  
>Kagome chuckled. She found it humorous that Kikyo was trying to fight her with reiki. Sure it hurt her youkai side a bit, but the majority of the reiki was reflected away or back by her own reiki. At first Kikyo was surprised but it quickly changed to rage.<br>"How do you reflect my reiki? It should harm you, you're yokai!" Kikyo screamed her frustration. Inuyasha, who had been circling Sesshomaru looking for an opening, was surprised by Kikyo's sudden shout. His surprise gave Sesshomaru the opening he needed to take Inuyasha out of the fight.  
>Sesshomaru struck as Inuyasha had his attention on the two battling females. It might be considered unfair fighting, but Sesshomaru didn't care. The two trespassers didn't even deserve the fight. He should just toss them out on their hind ends. With his mind made up, Sesshomaru moved quickly, but wasn't surprised when Inuyasha didn't struggle to keep up like he had used to.<br>Being under a spell obviously gave him an increase in strength, agility, and speed. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha circled each other, trading blows, Tensaiga and Tessaiga vibrated as they made contact. The counterpart swords continued to vibrate and cry out with each blow to the other sword. Sesshomaru lashed his acid whip at Inuyasha, quicker than the average eye could see. It was fast enough to catch Inuyasha off guard.  
>The whip wrapped around Inuyasha's ankle and pulled him down to the ground with a heavy thud. Sesshomaru nodded to his guards before he turned his attention to Kagome and Kikyo's battle. The guards, weren't so relaxed, they quickly subdued Inuyasha and restrained him with chains and ropes. They had to avoid claws and fangs as they did so, for Inuyasha wasn't done fighting or making a fool of himself.<br>He ceased his struggling when a strange noise was heard. It was a half snarl, half scream of pain. Kagome winced as she felt the tip of the arrow cutting the muscles of her leg as she tried to back away from Kikyo. Kikyo had gotten irate, and feeling that there was no other way to win the battle, had pulled an arrow from her quiver and used it as a small spear.  
>Now Kikyo's face was that of a smug victor, she thought she'd won the battle. Kagome favored her left hind leg as she backed away from Kikyo as quickly as she could. Kikyo's face was that of a crazy person, she looked like a person who was about to kill a rabid dog that had bit them while taking their food. Kagome shuddered at the mental image, and did her best to dodge the arrow that was coming at her.<br>Kikyo had now started using the bow and arrow together again. Kagome knew she had to finish it quickly, but she wasn't certain how.  
>'Let's do it together, miko. If we do, that dark one had no chance against us.' Kagome dodged another arrow as she contemplated the yokai's offer. 'The worst that can happen is that we'll die. But that's a chance no matter which one of us is fighting. However we both have a better chance of living and winning if we work together.' The yokai had a point, and Kagome wasn't about to argue a well thought out point. Beast or not, the yokai side of her was calculating, but not deceptive, after all, how could she lie to herself?<br>'Very well. After all, Kikyo was my match before she gave me a yokai side. She doubled my power, shall we show her our power?' Kagome asked her beast and was happily answered with a smirk. As Kagome's eyes started to bleed red again, her flames took on a different appearance all together. They shifted from a gold with red tips to a magenta color. The new color was a mix of the bright red of Kagome's hair and the purple pink of the Shikon no Tama.  
>They were the flames of a Nekomata Miko Ningen mix. Sesshomaru noticed something about the color of the flames, it was almost an identical match to the color of his own markings. He would think on that later though. For now he watched the battle quietly, ready to jump in at the first sign of Kagome needing some sort of assistance. She had stated that the battle would be one-on-one. Now that she was yokai, at least in part, insulting her by interfering in her battle wasn't even a consideration.<br>Kikyo backed up quickly as she saw the change in the flames around Kagome. Her face changed from one of rage to hatred quickly. She knew at that moment that her plan had failed and there was nothing she could do to change what was going to happen. She wouldn't however, just stand there and let it happen without a fight. She'd fight, and make Kagome have a hell of a time taking her soul.  
>"You've lost Kikyo." Kagome's voice sounded odd to everyone, including herself. It was as if two people were speaking the same words, but both voices were coming from her throat. She moved quickly and finished Kikyo off as quickly as she could. Kikyo swung her bow at Kagome, hoping to wack her across the chest. Kagome lowered her head and bit the bow in two before forcefully removing it from Kikyo's grasp.<br>Kikyo then grabbed arrows and tried using them as spears again. She was clumsy at it though, and as she tried to throw an arrow at Kagome, she tripped and fell. Kagome was quickly over her and bit down hard on Kikyo. The sound of breaking clay filled the forest with surprising volume.  
>"It'll take more than that to kill me." Kikyo laughed at Kagome. Kagome just grimaced as she tried not to taste the vileness of the clay in her mouth. Kagome poured her reiki into Kikyo, and Kikyo screamed as she could feel herself being purified. It was a wonderful and terrible feeling all at once. To be wiped clean of all darkness was a type of bliss, but being forced to release all negative feelings and attachments was worse. It would have been paradise, but Kikyo knew she'd be gone for good. Her only attachments to the world vanished, and with them so did she. The souls that Kikyo had collected started to come forth and left Kikyo's body. One floated for a moment between Kikyo's body and Kagome's before disappearing in Kagome's chest.<br>Once Kikyo was gone, Kagome spat the clay body out of her mouth as quickly as she could. The sound of the burden crashing against a tree hit her ears, and they flattened onto her head. It took a moment for Kagome to realize the she felt something different. There was a completeness that she'd never felt before. It was something Kagome knew she'd been looking for though, because it felt right.  
>'Welcome home.' Kagome's head whirled around to study the areas around her. The breeze like a whisper tickled her ear, but she could see no one. Instead, feeling exhausted and victorious, she turned to the crowd that had gathered by the gates. But there were only two people Kagome could see. Rin and Sesshomaru.<p>

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Okay, okay! I know that I was late in updating. I'm sorry, kay? I've been very busy, school, family, the whole nine yards. Here's a longer chapter, and another will be posted shortly.

Anyway, what do you guys think? I'm not good at fight scenes, so please do review and tell me what you think I could improve on. I'd really appreciate it! ^_^


	9. Annoyances

**Annoyances**

Kouga was surprised to see how well Neko Kagome had fought Kikyo. He knew she was a good fighter from working with her in the past, she had after all been the one to defeat Naraku. Well, she did have some help, but she still did the majority of the fighting. Still, she had fought well, and was now heading towards them.

Kagome saw Rin there, she looked worried, but Kagome didn't know why. Then she looked to Sesshomaru, and though he kept his face a mask of indifference, his eyes also looked slightly worried.  
>'Wow, something must be really wrong for Sesshomaru to look worried.' Kagome thought as she walked towards the group. She was still about the same size as Ah-Un. She felt tired though, so when she was finally standing in front of Sesshomaru she shrunk to kitten size again as she tried to figure out why she was so tired. 'Maybe it's being two me's in one.' Kagome thought as she started to fall asleep on her feet.<br>She was so out of it that she didn't notice that the hands that picked her up weren't Sesshomaru's or Rin's. She also didn't notice that there were two voices calling out to her frantically. Instead, her vision started to fade to black as she curled up against the heat that was underneath her body.  
>Sango's eyes were filled with tears as she looked at the kitten sized nekomata in her hands. She knew it was Kagome, and she was extremely worried about her friend. Standing behind Sango, also staring at Kagome were Shippo and Miroku.<br>"Mama!" Shippo cried as he saw the blood on her hind left leg. The arrow was gone, but the wound was still very obvious. Sesshomaru cleared his throat to get the attention of the newcomers. He was wondering slightly if someone had posted somewhere that his palace was now an inn offering free rooms. He was certainly getting enough unexpected guests to turn his palace into an inn.  
>"Taijiya, houshi, kitsune. Are you here to check on your pack mate?" Sesshomaru asked Sango, Miroku, and Shippo. He remembered how close the four were when they'd been traveling together in the past. If they were concerned about Kagome, then he could do nothing but let them stay.<br>He knew that they knew they'd lose if they fought him, but they would fight him if they thought he was separating them from Kagome. And right now he really didn't want to have another pointless fight.  
>"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama. After what happened with Kagome-chan we didn't want to leave her alone. We did our best to follow her, and this is where we found her." Sango looked up at Sesshomaru from her kneeling position as she said this. Even though she was a yokai taijiya, or a demon exterminator, Sango didn't feel she needed to worry about Sesshomaru.<br>He kept the yokai in his lands under control, which meant less yokai for Sango to worry about. Thus he deserved her respect as an honorable lord yokai. Sesshomaru was used to hearing the term of superiority, but not from a human much less a taijiya at that.  
>"Then you may join us for the midday meal, and the evening as you figure out what to do from here." Sesshomaru stated as he left the gates and walked back towards his palace. He wondered just how many times that day he'd visit his front gates. He was on his way back to his study to finish his work, or what he could finish before the meal.<br>"Kagome-sama?" Rin asked as she moved slowly and carefully towards Sango and the sleeping neko. Sango looked at Rin, and her face softened. Rin reminded Sango of Kagome. They both shared the same glow that attested to the life that was in them.  
>"She should be fine, Rin-chan. She just needs some medicine and some rest." Sango reassured the little girl as best she could. She stood and started to head to the palace door. She needed a place she could inspect Kagome's wounds, preferably not outside. Jaken watched the entire exchange with a face akin to shock, anger, and amazement. He runs quickly after Sesshomaru.<br>"Sesshomaru-sama! Why are you letting all these filthy humans stay in your palace?" Jaken's voice was as annoying as ever. And Sesshomaru was as unwilling to listen, than as he was earlier, to Jaken's babble about how he should never mingle with such unpleasant creatures.  
>"Jaken, this Sesshomaru will not listen to you arguing our decision. A pointless fight is not what this one wants, and Rin will enjoy the company." Sesshomaru thinks for a moment when he recalls the happiness Rin had expressed when she had spent her time with Kagome, the kitsune Shippo, and the elder miko Kaede. Especially the kitsune though, and when he thought about it, they were around the same age so it didn't surprise him.<br>Rin had a playmate and that would keep her happy and entertained for some time. Sesshomaru wasn't going to argue or go against that. Sesshomaru sighed as he came to the complete understanding that he wouldn't finish his work before the midday meal. First it had been Rin that would keep him from his work, but now it was Jaken and the extra guests that would keep him from finishing his work.  
>"But my lord!" Jaken was about to continue when Kirara arrived and proceeded to chase the imp yokai. Sesshomaru found this slightly humorous, Jaken just had the uncanny ability to attract neko demons. That or he was too annoying for them to stand and that's why both nekos had given Jaken the very high honor of giving him their complete attention.<br>He didn't doubt for a moment that if Kagome weren't injured that she'd also be doing the same thing. Kirara and her would be mischievous nekos, and be little cohorts. As Jaken screamed in pain as the little Kirara bit him in the butt, Sesshomaru gave them no mind and continued on his way to check on a few things.  
>"Ah! Sesshomaru-sama! I've called Sakura-sama to help our guests attend to Kagome-sama. Is there anything else that I can do before I leave for the day? My mate is about to pup." Seichi's youngest brother, Kentarou, was one of Sesshomaru's multiple servants. Sesshomaru regarded the anxious, excited, soon-to-be-father in front of him. It brought back unwanted memories of his father when the hanyo was about to be born.<br>"Your assistance is not required. You may leave to go to you're mate's side." Sesshomaru dismissed the man with a wave of his hand before he continued. If Sakura had been called to help heal Kagome, he didn't need to call a healer. Sakura was skilled in healing and medicine, though it was rarely needed among yokai.  
>"Thank you, my lord." Kentarou quickly bowed and left Sesshomaru's presence at a fast clip. Despite being anxious, it was very obvious he was much more excited. Before Sesshomaru could continue on his way, Rin's voice catches his ear, and he can smell her tears. That alone was enough to send Sesshomaru in her direction at a very fast speed.<br>"Sango-sama! She's crying, it hurts her. Why must you poke at it?" Rin's voice was filled with sadness and a confusion that spurred Sesshomaru on. A whimper could be heard, but it was a quiet whimper. "No!" Rin screamed as a sound similar to a fight or a scuffle took place in the room the group was in.  
>Sesshomaru slammed through the doors expecting a scene where Rin was in danger or pain. What he saw however, was far from that. His face remained in his trained emotionless mask, but on the inside he was worrying about what was going on that would cause his happy, bubbly, adopted daughter to cry.<br>Rin was holding a quivering red kitten with three tails, tears were coming from both their eyes. Rin had pressed herself against the far wall, and didn't move her sight from the two women once. Sango and Sakura were kneeling not five feet from Rin, but he could see their frustration and worry as well.  
>"What's going on?" Sesshomaru demanded an explanation, though he had a pretty good idea of what was going on.<br>"Sango-sama and Sakura-chan are hurting Kagome-sama! She's crying and they keeping poking her wound! Rin couldn't stand to see them hurt Kagome-sama on purpose!" Rin sobbed, her voice wavering with each tear and word.  
>"Rin-chan. It hurts now, but we have to do this we want her to heal properly." Sango tried again to explain it to the hysterical child.<br>"Rin. Let them treat..." Sesshomaru grimaced before he finally said Kagome's name.  
>"Kagome, as they do that you can go play with Jaken and Kirara, or Shippo. Once they are done you can come stay with Kagome if you want." Sesshomaru's words seemed to comfort the girl. Her tears stopped, and she cautiously handed Kagome back to Sango. Then before either of the women could continue healing Kagome, Rin fled the room.<p>

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><p>AN: I hope you like the chapter. I know, it's boring and ho hum, but I promise we're approaching the midday meal, and the long explanation of what happened to Kagome.<p> 


	10. Just Memories?

**AN:** Okay, so I know it's a little odd for me to be putting these up here... please just a moment of your time. Those of you who have already read my story to this point and are reading this upon alert, I have gone back and changed some things. Very small things though. Kagome is 'Mama' to Shippo from the beginning now, and she is a Fire Nekomata, not a Fire Neko Yokai. She is still referred to as Neko and Yokai, but that slight change has been made. Now without further adieu, Chapter 10 of Change by Curse, Just Memories?

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><p><strong>Just Memories?<strong>

****Kagome could feel the pain shooting through her leg and up into her hip. It burned, more than she could ever remember anything burning. She felt awkward, almost out of place, was she somewhere she shouldn't be?

"Mama. Mama! Wake up!" It was Shippo's voice that Kagome heard through the shroud of pain that even obscured her hearing. Seeing was an entirely useless effort. She couldn't see anything, it was all red and gold. 'Like flames' Kagome thought as she forgot that Shippo was calling to her frantically.  
>"Kagome-chan! Wake up, please!" This time it was both Shippo and Sango. Was she really needed? Did she have to go back to the pain that the world offered her? Did she have to go back to the world that was ruled by fates that laughed at her and used her for their entertainment? Surely that's all the world held for her.<br>She was betrayed countless times by the one person she had loved, Inuyasha. Now she had to kill her previous self just to get her soul back? Maybe she was waking from a nightmare. 'Yes, that's it. It's just Souta telling me to wake up and go to school. It's my sixteenth birthday.' Kagome tried to convince herself, but she knew she couldn't do it. She wasn't in bed in modern Tokyo.  
>The only thing she could do Kagome figured, after she allowed herself some time for self-pity, was fight the pain. To go back to where at least five people would take care of her and care for her. Shippo, her adopted son. Sango, her closest friend and adopted sister. Miroku, her perverted friend and adopted brother. Kirara, a close ally and someone who will never judge or tell your secrets. Also, Rin, a sweet girl that Kagome thought of as a daughter.<br>"No more nonsense. Wake up this moment." The strong, but smooth voice sounded alien to Kagome for a moment. Surely that voice belonged to no one that would care for her enough to make her leave the tempting comfort of everlasting sleep. Ah, but then Kagome recognized the voice. Was there maybe a sixth person she could add to her list? Sesshomaru?  
>The ridiculousness of it was enough to rouse Kagome's curiosity. Kagome let herself drift to the voices, and forced her eyelids open by will alone. Her body felt like it contained no strength, barely enough to do the minimal. She counted the faces silently, and in the room there were seven faces. One of the faces hadn't spoken to her.<br>Kagome stared at him for a moment. Her memories still in a haze, her emotions still raw. His white hair, his yellow eyes. He was the one she loved. Then the memory of his betrayal crashed Kagome back to earth like a waterfall on her. She was dashed against the sharp rocks at the bottom of her emotional waterfall.  
>'Kill... Hate... Betrayer...' Everything in Kagome fell to animal instinct as she watched him silently. Her lip curled up in a snarl, she didn't want to be in the same room as him. Never again. But hands on her shoulders, fur, and face drew her attention away from the now enchantment free hanyo.<br>Kagome saw Rin and Shippo, both were making sure she was okay with their hands. They also asked her over and over again if she was okay. Shippo looked especially worried.  
>"Mama?" Shippo asked quietly before he stopped feeling her fur. Kagome's eyes were clear of pain and confusion. She was the Kagome he remembered. The kind, strong, and gentle Kagome. Even if she was a little unhappy, it was the Kagome he knew. Everyone but Inuyasha all saw this, and there was a murmur of happiness among the four. Sesshomaru stayed stoic as ever.<br>"Sesshomaru," Kagome started, she wasn't going to add any honorific until she saw his eyebrow raise. "-sama, did you call out to me? Were you the one who told me to stop the nonsense and wake up?" Kagome had to know. His voice, she was certain it had been his voice, had called to her when she was contemplating drifting there forever.  
>"This Sesshomaru did speak." Was all he said before he turned and left. Kagome huffed before she turned to her family.<br>"He still has his fur in a knot, and his hakama in a tangle." Kagome said with her cheeks puffing out in frustration. She couldn't lie to herself, the way he referred to himself in third person was ... tempting. She wouldn't follow that thought further. But it did make her feel as if she couldn't even talk with him.  
>'Wait. Why do you want to talk to him? Yes, he is our enemy's enemy, but you need to be careful.' The part of Kagome that didn't want to ever be involved with a male again fought Kagome's instinctual, appreciation, of Sesshomaru.<br>'I don't know. I know that! Just leave me alone.' Kagome tried to ignore her own little voice as she looked outside to find out what time it was. She was surprised to see that time was younger than when she'd gone to sleep. She'd slept nearly twenty-four hours. No wonder her family was in a frenzy.  
>"Kagome-sama. The meal will be in a couple minutes. I just want to check that you're healed." Sakura entered the room and showed the basket of supplies she was carrying. Kagome nodded and stood. She was still a neko, and a kitten at that. She increased her size so that Sakura could give her ministrations more easily.<br>Sango and Miroku watched silently until Sakura declared that Kagome was completely healed and was ready for the day. With this said, Sango started to squeak before she tackled Kagome in a tight hug. Miroku, Rin, and Shippo quickly followed.  
>"You will tell us what happened." Sango demanded after she disentangled herself from the group and sat facing Kagome head on with her hands on Kagome's shoulders. Kagome nodded silently as she stood and headed towards the smell of food. She was hungry.<p>

Sesshomaru was surprised to see a neko, the size of a house cat, sitting by the kitchen door begging for food from the cooks. But more than anything, he was amused, though he didn't let it show on his face. He walked silently up to the kitchen then cleared his throat.  
>"This one was not aware that there was a cook whom serves round the clock services." Sesshomaru said, and watched silently as Kagome jumped. She whipped around to face him, and sat down with how far she had to look up.<br>"We don't." Seita said standing in the doorway with his hands in fists. He was more than a little frustrated with the neko sitting at their feet. "This one here won't let us be, so her lunch will take longer to finish." His irritation was easily heard in his voice.  
>Sesshomaru looked down at Kagome and was about to ask why she was being impatient. But before anyone could say another word, a sound filled the immediate area. It was a grumbling stomach. Kagome's face was surprisingly red, that was when Sesshomaru figured out why she was bothering the kitchen staff.<br>"Seita, why don't you just give her what you have. This one doesn't think she's begging for food because she wants to." Sesshomaru picked Kagome up. "That is, after this one gets her to Sakura to be dressed properly for the meal." Kagome struggled for a moment. She was hungry, she didn't want to leave the wonderful smell of food. However, Kagome didn't get much of a choice. Sesshomaru was too strong for her to resist.

The smell of the food was wonderful. Kagome was a little upset with Sesshomaru for forcing her to wait even longer to eat. But she wasn't in bad enough of a mood to hold it against him. She was dressed in a matching kimono to what she was wearing before. A black kimono with silver embroidery in the shape of a cherry blossom covered branch, her obi a bright gold with a red cord.  
>She was careful to mind her manners, and not make a mess. But she was by no means eating slowly. When she was no longer fighting the feeling of hunger and she was on the edge of contentment she sat back and studied the people at the middle sized table for a moment.<br>Sesshomaru was sitting at the head of the table, expressionless, and cold. Kouga was sitting at the foot of the table across from Sesshomaru, enjoying the meal but still aware of the tense atmosphere. Sango and Miroku had finished a while ago and were waiting for her to finish. Rin and Shippo were still eating.  
>"I guess I should keep my promise." Kagome started. She stretched before she placed her chin in her hands. All the adults turned their attention to Kagome. The children continued to eat, but were listening. "It started about three weeks ago." Kagome said, knowing that if Inuyasha, who was in the room, interrupted she'd lose all self-control.<br>"I thought Inuyasha and I were happy forever. Kikyo was out of the picture, and Inuyasha's choice was based entirely off his feelings for me." Kagome studied the face of the hanyo before turning her gaze to the table. "I was happy. More so than I can ever remember being. Little did I know that my paradise was about to be torn to shreds.  
>"One day Inuyasha went out to the forest, not telling me where he was going. But that was normal from time to time. So I was unconcerned." Kagome's face turned bitter. "But he came home later than he said he would. And he reeked. Reeked of Kikyo. I tried to ignore it, I was thinking 'Surely she's dead, she had lost all value to Naraku, so he killed her.' I was terribly wrong. For the next week or so it was the same thing.<br>"Her scent permeated my house, I was stuck living in a house with the smell of the woman who kept trying to take my love, and my life." Kagome's voice hushed as she recalled it all. "I was sick of it, so, I followed Inuyasha. And who did he meet with? That's right, Kikyo. I was devastated that he would do that to me. When he found out Kikyo was still alive, he started jumping again.  
>"I left immediately, but I knew something was going to happen eventually. I should have left Inuyasha then, but I didn't. I didn't know what was happening while I waited to see what was going to happen though. Kikyo found a way to bring Tsubaki back, and tainted her so that she was the same as before I purified her.<br>"They were plotting." Kagome's face glowered in anger and betrayal. "At first it was just Tsubaki and Kikyo. But then Inuyasha started disappearing at odd times of day. Looking back now, he'd been enchanted almost since the very beginning of their plotting. But I was still blind by love.  
>"When Kikyo was confident enough in her ability to control Inuyasha, that's when they struck. She transformed all feelings Inuyasha had for me into loathing. They were smart, they knew they'd never be able to destroy me if I was just attacked. They attacked me emotionally. They sent Inuyasha home, and told him to get rid of me." Kagome smirked looking back at her naivete.<br>"He kicked me out, told me that he hated me and wanted me to leave. Told me that he couldn't be happy with Kikyo, the love of his life, with me as a burden. He said that as long as I lived with him he was duty bound to return to me.  
>"I left, crushed. I was more injured emotionally than I can ever recall being physically. If I'd been paying attention, I would have known that it was then that an attack would occur. And sure enough it did, I was leaving the village.<br>"Several arrows missed me, but I recognized them and the reiki. They belonged to Kikyo. When I had left I hadn't taken anything because all of it had her scent. So I dodged them as best as I could. But one got me, right along my neck." Kagome absentmindedly ran her fingers across her pulse point, swearing she could still feel where the arrow had cut her.  
>"On the arrow was something, probably Tsubaki's snake's poison. It entered my blood, from there Tsubaki could do as she liked with my blood. She was further away, in the place they prepared for the cursing. So she knocked me out. I was out cold, till I woke up in a shrine.<br>"There she cursed me, explaining that once my miko powers diminished from the yokai's power in my blood, that's when they'd take my soul. I'm not sure what happened beyond that point. I have pieces but little lucidity and flow of the pieces. My body was on fire, not literally, but that's what it seemed like.  
>"I could feel the flames in my veins, gathering in every spot it could find. It was agony, and all I could see was red and gold. I saw flames." Kagome's voice was quiet and low as she relived the horrid memories. She continued anyways. "It started to dimish, the pain, but I could feel something growing. I wasn't sure what.<br>"Looking back now, it was my yokai coming fully into being, and joining her power with mine. I didn't feel week like Tsubaki and Kikyo had said I would. But seeing as I had stopped screaming, I think I had been screaming, Kikyo came closer. She had a dagger in her hand, and she moved forward, towards me." Kagome choked on her words as her feelings of fear flashed into her memory.  
>"She tried to carve my heart out with that knife. All the while, she was smiling... After that it's the pieces. Little pieces here and there. Me fighting, not sure with whom, or why. Anger, Fear, Betrayal, Kill. Those are the four things that drove me on. I remember killing someone, trying to kill a second and third. I'd make them pay for what they did to me. Then something new came, something changed.<br>"I knew where I could go to get shelter, to heal. I had to leave, I had to flee. Fighting was pointless, I don't know why. But I have to go to him, he'll be able to help me." Kagome was dragged into her memories, she was no longer telling them what was happening. She was reliving them completely, her mind in shambles and confusion.  
>"But who is he? Why can he help me? I don't know, he just can. We have to go to him, he'll save us from killing ourselves. But who is he? Why will he save me, not kill me? Just run." Kagome's eyes faded in a way that had almost everyone there worried for her well being. Rin stood and started to make her way to Kagome, but paused when Kagome started talking again. "We're almost there. I know he'll be able to help us live together without killing ourselves."<br>Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara were all standing at that point and were about to go over to Kagome. They were worried for her. She startled them once more. Her eyes bled completely red but she didn't move other than turning to face Sesshomaru. She whispered barely loud enough for Sesshomaru's sensitive hearing to pick up. "You have helped us, but you must show her before she kill herself."  
>Kagome's face cleared up, and she looked up. "After running for awhile I blacked out and I woke up here." After speaking the last sentence she looked around in confusion. "Why are you all standing, and looking so worried?" Kagome looked around her for something "You have helped us, but you must show her before she kill herself."<br>Kagome's face cleared up, and she looked up. "After running for awhile I blacked out and I woke up here." After speaking the last sentence she looked around in confusion. "Why are you all standing, and looking so worried?" Kagome looked around her for something amiss.  
>Everyone else including Sesshomaru and Kouga looked at each other. Each nodded to the others. They had all seen and heard it. Kagome had been drawn completely into her memories, and then her beast, yokai, whatever each called it, had left them a message to save her from destroying herself. But each were confused and curious why Sesshomaru had been the one to be told to save her, and was it that he had to show her?<p> 


	11. Pruning

**Pruning**

Kagome was a little worried that no one was answering her question. All they did was stare at her, and if she were to be honest with herself it freaked her out. Her confusion only grew as everyone else started to talk and murmur to each other. Her eyes were drawn to the now silent Inuyasha, he was watching her with sad yellow eyes.

She didn't know why but Kagome had the feeling that Inuyasha was about to speak, but she still wasn't in any mood to listen to anything he might have to say. So before he could say anything she stood from the table and left the dining room. Sango followed Kagome before anyone could stop her, she didn't care who didn't want her to go she's going to find out what was bothering her best friend.

Rin looked up at Sesshomaru before she started to whimper silently, a small sob escaped her lips before she could stop it and tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't like the thought of Kagome dying. Rin still cared very much for Kagome even if she wasn't her real mother. Sesshomaru looked down at Rin very quietly and just listened to her sobbing quietly, he was at a loss for what to do. Just like everyone else, Sesshomaru was confused as to what Kagome's beast had told him.

Sesshomaru sat down and tried to ponder what it all meant, his eyes drifted towards his half brother and questions plagued him.

Kagome entered the private garden that she had been in with Rin the previous day. It was confusing for her, she couldn't figure out why her friends had reacted that way. More than anything she couldn't bear the thought that they were keeping something from her whatever it was she knew it was important. Though she couldn't blame them if they were keeping something from her, she had abandoned them.

_**. . . . .**_

The following day was quiet throughout the palace. Kagome wasn't sure what was wrong, but she felt disharmony within herself. She was complete, but there was a disturbance. She spent most of her day in meditation under the willow. She chewed on her lip in frustration. She could just touch the chaos, but beyond that she couldn't pin point it.

As Kagome sat under the willow in meditation, the other adults were in Sesshomaru's study to talk about what happened.

"What did she mean 'You have helped us, but you must show her before she kill herself'?" Sango nearly screamed in frustration. She slammed her hands on the desk to emphasize her point. Sesshomaru glowered at her hands in distaste, her hands were on _his_ desk. No _human_ had dared even _dream_ of touching _his desk_ before.

"Sango, calm down. Yelling and getting upset isn't going to solve this riddle." Miroku tried to calm Sango down, and managed to get her to at least sit down. Miroku, despite his lecherous ways was wise and usually could solve questions like these. "Lord Sesshomaru, do you have any ideas why she'd say something like that?"

Sesshomaru shook his head just a bit as he studied the scroll in his hands. He wasn't really paying attention to it. His curiosity had to strong of a grip on him for him to concentrate on the scroll. He nearly let his mask slip and sigh, but he caught himself. _**'Sesshomaru, what Kagome needs is for you to show her harmony between her yokai and her miko. You started the process of her being able to heal from her wounds. That's only the first step.'**_

Sesshomaru ground his teeth silently as he listened to his beast. He knew that before Kagome could even think of achieving balance between her new self and her old self she needed to heal from the wounds her soul, heart, and mind had received. _'But is that what she'd meant? I'm not sure that harmony is what she meant I should 'show' her.'_

_**'Well, instead of guessing what the second step is, take the first one. You can't take the second one till you've completed first'**_ Sesshomaru didn't like it but he had to admit it was logical.

"Jaken." Sesshomaru called his vassal ignoring Sango and Miroku, who were still arguing.

"Yes mi'lord?" Jaken came scurrying into the study from the hallway. He bowed low to his lord, also ignoring the other two occupying the room.

"Summon Kagome, young Shippou, and the hanyo." Was all Sesshomaru said before he turned back to the scrolls on his desk. He wasn't going to kill the hanyo, today. He needed to cut the rotten branch, her relationship with Inuyasha, that was destroying her from the inside out. In his mind Sesshomaru grimaced. _'Why am I the one doing this?'_

_'__**Because I'm telling you to.'**_ His beast whispered in his mind. He growled at his beast, startling both Miroku and Sango. Jaken scurried out when he heard the growl, thinking it was for him made him get is butt in gear and to do as he was told without dawdling.

_**. . . . .**_

_'There! That's new.'_ Kagome touched the new piece of herself carefully with her reiki. Her concentration was broken when she felt another aura approaching. She would have ignored it if it weren't for the fact that it was intent on her.

"Kagome-sama?" The voice matched the aura. Gentle, and kind, but also hesitant. Kagome opened her eyes and smiled gently at Sakura while standing. She brushed off her hind end before speaking.

"Just call me Kagome, now what did you need?" Kagome asked, no one interrupted her when she was meditating. Sango had told her before that it was because she looked unapproachable, almost scary when she was concentrating on her meditation. So that meant there was a reason Sakura was there.

"All right, Kagome. Sesshomaru-sama is summoning you to his study. Jaken-sama sent me to lead you there." Sakura bowed her head in respect as Kagome stood. She waited to straighten until Kagome was completely straight as well.

"Then show me the way. I don't want to tell Sesshomaru no when he's letting me stay here. Besides, in one way or another he's saved my life several times." Kagome shrugged as she followed Sakura back into the palace. _**'That's not why you don't want to say no, Miko.'**_

Kagome sighed and shook her head. It was taking some getting used to, having a voice in her mind that wasn't actually hers to control. _'I've told you! My name is Ka-go-me! And what do you expect me to say? 'Oh, my beast thinks only Sesshomaru and save me from death. And might actually like him, so I can't say no.'? No way in hell!'_

Her beast growled in slight amusement. _**'What then would you have me do? Let you kill us? And I've told you, my name isn't 'you' it's Kaori'**_ Kagome snarled at her beast. _'It's not my fault. Whatever is going on, I can't fix it. I've tried! With both of our powers, and with the single powers. I've done my best, and I can only recognize the new parts, I can't even tell if that's what's causing the problem.'_

Now both Kagome and Kaori were growling at each other._**'Do you mean to say that I'm the problem?'**_ Kagome narrowed her eyes and ground her teeth together._'You know damn well that's not what I meant! I meant there's something new that's disturbed... something. I'm not sure what it's disturbing, and you aren't new.'_

Kagome knew that she'd only just been turned into a yokai with a beast just a mere two days before. But Kaori wasn't something that felt new. More like she felt right, like a natural part of who she should be. This feeling really started just before and after Kikyo's death.

Kagome knew that she had no connection to Kikyo other than the fact that they look similar and that she was born with the Shikon no Tama in her body after it had disappeared with Kikyo's death. Higurashi Kagome isn't Kikyo's reincarnation. The only reason Kikyo had part of her soul was because of the resurrection, Kikyo had needed a soul of similar resonance.

But why, now that she finally had the rest of her soul back from when it was taken, was she reacting like this? She'd been whole before and not had a problem._**'Fool, it's because that was before'**_

"Kagome? Kagome! We're here." Sakura pulled gently on Kagome's hand to get her attention. Her eyes were an odd amber almost. The moment Kagome focused on Sakura they changed back to gold. Sakura's relief was evident. Sakura turned and knocked on the large wood door.

Kagome studied the door for the few seconds it took for someone inside to answer. It was made of solid mahogany and had several intricate designs carved into it. The one that stood out most to Kagome was a crescent moon on the forehead of a being that looked almost like an angel. Kagome made a mental note so she could remember to ask Sesshomaru about the being later. If she got the chance.

As she made the mental note Sesshomaru's voice could be heard on the other side of the door. "Enter"

* * *

><p>AN: Before I say anything, I just want to say thanks to Thelastunicorn for reviewing. If you hadn't I don't know if I would have ever gotten the this chapter done. Okay guys, I love this story. But there is something you have to know about me. I'm not a very good self motivator, unless someone is telling me that I need to continue it. That or someone who is giving me constructive criticism. So, please review. Thanks!<p> 


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